National Climate Change and Risk Management Specialist

FAO Bangladesh assists the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh (GoB) to formulate policies, programmes and projects to address the root causes of hunger and malnutrition, develop the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors, and utilize environmental and natural resources in a sustainable way. It contributes to the development of FAO’s field programme projects in the country and implements them in the sectors of food security, agriculture and rural development.

The Department of Fisheries (DoF) and the FAO Bangladesh is going to implement a Global Environmental Facility’s (GEFs) least developed countries fund (LDCF) project entitled, Community-based Climate Resilient Fisheries and Aquaculture Development in Bangladesh (GCP/BGD/055/LDF). The Project will attempt to remove key barriers to effective adaptation to climate change in the fishery and aquaculture sector by integrating climate resilience in its policy reform and enhance resiliency of the fishery sector through capacity development of the fishery officials and the communities depending on fisheries.

The poor and smallholders in the project areas will benefit from project interventions both socially and financially, including capacity development to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change and variability. The coastal and inland aquatic ecosystems of this project (covering an area of about 4,790 km2) will be under climate resilient plans and management practices. The long-term sustainability of the project will be promoted by adoption of strategy that promotes up scaling and replication of climate resilient adaptations across Bangladesh, and capacity strengthening of DoFs, partner organizations and local communities on climate change implications and resilient adaptation options.

Reporting Lines

Under the overall managerial, administrative leadership of the FAO Representative in Bangladesh and Budget Holder of the project, technical supervision of LTO and direct supervision of the Assistant FAO Representative (Programme), National Operations Officer, coordination of the NPC, project personnel, and the Government counterpart the incumbent will be responsible for the delivery of Components 1, 2 and 3 of the Project.

The Project will address contradictions and gaps in the policy framework with the view to harmonize aquaculture and fisheries related issues, and enhance resilience of the sub-sector through national capacity development and incorporation of adaptation priorities to cope with climate change. It will strengthen awareness and knowledge of local fishers and fish farmer’s communities, and enhance local adaptive capacity through transfer and adoption of appropriate site-specific climate resilient fisheries and aquaculture intervention technologies and approaches, which will be underpinned by effective knowledge management (e.g. use of ICT-based climate and disaster information services) ensuring wider dissemination of best practices and lessons learned.

• Provide technical support to inception and validation workshops; provide technical support on climate change and climate risk management issues and input on sustainable livelihood approaches and adaptation options in general;
• Review currently available climate change impact data and compile quantitative details about impact of climate change on aquatic ecosystems, fisheries and aquaculture and broader agro-ecosystems thus contributing to identify the most climate sensitive areas;
• Lead and coordinate analytical frameworks, methodological approaches and tools for assessment of vulnerability and climate impacts and establish most relevant approaches to be followed in the project in close coordination with the national team and F&A expert;
• Support and lead the detailed assessment of climate induced risks and vulnerabilities of fisheries and aquaculture to define the most climate sensitive areas for F&A where the project will focus;
• Prepare a strategy and methodology to identify climate related information gaps, to access climate data at national and local level related to F&A. This must include discussions with the relevant national institutions to improve assessments of climate related risks in the sector;
• Prepare a strategy to address climate risk mapping and early warning systems for F&A in the most climate sensitive areas;
• Support the NPC in conducting stocktaking and prioritizing of traditional and tested adaptation practices in the F&A sectors and compile suitable climate-resilient adaptation practices for implementation through the project;
• Design methodologies and approach to the implementation of integrated monitoring and early warning systems for F&A;
• Support and assist preparation of the all Project Reports;
• Prepare and submit an End of Assignment Report (EoA).
• Carry out other activities as instructed by the PMTSU /or the FAOR.

• M. Sc. in Fisheries Science/ Natural resources management/ Environmental Science from a reputed university; preferably a PhD. or equivalent in Fisheries Science;
• Have at least 15 years of experience in the Bangladesh fisheries sector with wide ideas of inland and coastal/marine fisheries, aquaculture, fisheries and environment related policies, strategies and acts, international/regional conventions, plan of actions and strategies;
• Excellent written and verbal inter personal communication skills in English/Bangla and well computer literate.
• National of Bangladesh.

• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Solid and demonstrated understanding of climate change, its implications on the environment, biodiversity, agriculture and fisheries sector, Environmental Codes of Practices (ECoPs), provisions of safeguard measures, legislations, treaties, conventions etc. for sustainable adaptation and mitigation options;
• Record of developing screening matrices for evaluating environmental safeguard aspects, preparation of Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP)/ Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) and grievance redress mechanism (GRM) for project intervention and management and sustainable livelihood;
• Record of developing methodological approaches and tools for assessment of possible vulnerability and environmental impacts and establishment of approaches to be followed in close coordination with the project team and expert; Support and lead the detailed EIA of project intervention induced risks and vulnerabilities to define the most climate sensitive areas where the project will focus;
• Have a track record of publications (peer-reviewed scientific papers, book/ book chapters, popular articles, video, etc.) on CC implications, impacts on environment and natural resources reflecting compiling, reasoning and writing skills;
• Proven capacity as a leader and capacity to work with and establish working relationships with medium to high-level government and non-government representatives;
• Ability to work under pressure and to deadlines to assist the project team with any urgent services; coordinate and monitor effectively while organizing occasional project events;
• Adaptable to multicultural and multidisciplinary team of experts and willing to undertake intensive field works in the coastal/ wetland areas of Bangladesh as when needed.